Long chain alcohols, including policosanol, are therapeutically useful materials with efficacy in lowering cholesterol or blood lipids, inhibiting platelet aggregation and improving stamina. Therefore, the incorporation of long chain alcohols such as policosanol in various foods is desirable.
Incorporation of policosanol into high fat or fat-continuous emulsion systems such margarine and margarine spreads is complicated by the functional properties of policosanol. In particular, incorporation of policosanol into a margarine oil system containing a diglyceride and a phospholipid causes an increase in the hardness of a margarine type product as disclosed in WO 98/47385. In addition, EP 0901804 discloses that the incorporation of a natural long chain alcohol in a fat continuous system reduces the viscosity and yield values of confectionery products.
Despite these disclosures there is still an ongoing need to be able to add long chain alcohols to foods in a manner that the long chain alcohol will be easily formulated, will remain stable during storage, and will not adversely affect the properties of the food.